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Sudan's President Starts New Term Calling For Reconciliation
KHARTOUM, Feb 12 (News Agencies) - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir pledged Monday to work for reconciliation in the war-ravaged country, as he took an oath for another five-year term in front of 12 African heads of state.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Beshir, who took power in a 1989 coup, said reconciliation should be based on "mutual recognition between the government and opposition."
Khartoum believes "citizenship is the basis of rights and obligations of the Sudanese" and that "expression of diversity must be possible," said Beshir, alluding to the war between predominantly Christian and animist southern separatists and the Arab and Muslim northern government.
He said his government and the opposition "must reach a peaceful solution, as part of regional mediation," referring to efforts underway by Libya and Egypt, along with the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
Beshir also promised "multiparty elections," although he did not elaborate further.
Beshir, first elected in 1996, was declared the winner of a December presidential election, which was boycotted by northern opposition parties. The election was not held in several sections of the south controlled by the breakaway Sudan People's Liberation Army.
He took the presidential oath before MPs elected in a parallel December vote and in front of 12 African heads of state, including Libya's Moamer Qaddafi and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo, who are in Khartoum for a summit of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (COMESSA).
The presence of these leaders was a "smart move," giving Beshir "regional recognition," said a foreign diplomat who attended the ceremony.
On the U.S. blacklist for its alleged support to "terrorism", Sudan has attempted over the past two years to change its image by reconciling with most of its neighbors and resuming dialogue with the European Union.
COMESSA's 11 member countries are Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Sudan. Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia are all expected to join COMESSA during the summit, boosting its membership to 15. COMESSA will also take a stand on the candidacy of Somalia.
In his speech, Beshir pledged that oil revenues would be "devoted to the development" of the country's infrastructure and social services. Sudan produces 180,000 barrels of oil a day, and plans to expand production to 200,000 barrels this year.
Beshir also announced the creation of three new government ministries: culture, youth and new technologies.
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